Less Weight, More Life

Imagine having a health condition that means eating in restaurants, visiting amusement parks, traveling by air and even walking—activities most people take for granted—are difficult or impossible. And, your condition brings with it a host of other serious medical conditions, including high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea and acid reflux.

That’s what life can be like for people with obesity.

“Obesity is a disease,” says Matthew Westmoreland, M.D., weight loss surgeon on the medical staff at Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano. “People start out 20 or 30 pounds overweight and after each diet gain a little more, until they get to the point where it’s 100 pounds, and they cannot keep the weight off.”

One of the misconceptions regarding weight loss surgery is that people have it for cosmetic purposes. In fact, most people have it to improve their health and quality of life. “For every pound you lose, you gain days of life,” says Dr. Westmorland. At the Baylor Plano Weight Surgery Program, losing weight is a process, and surgery is just one step in that process. “From the very first visit, we start working with people on behavioral changes that need to occur after surgery so they can start practicing them,” Dr. Westmoreland says.

The program’s team includes nurses, dietitians and psychologists who help patients with their weight loss struggles. Regular follow-up appointments as well as support group meetings give them the education and encouragement they need to succeed.